Machine for trimming oil-cakes



' Patented Apr. I8, [899. A. w. rm-zucu.

MACHINE FOB TRIMMING OIL CAKES.

' (No model.

(Afplication flled Oct. 14, 1898.)

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No. 623,24l. Patented Apr. l8, I899. A; W. FRENCH.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING OIL CAKES.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Shaets$heet 2.

qII/IIIIIIIIIIII I}. [llulllllllllllll'lllllllllllllll] NHED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED W. FRENCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING OIL-CAKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,241, dated April 18, 1899.

Application filed October 14, 1898. Serial No. 693,518- (No model.)

To a'ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it'known that I, ALFRED W. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Trimming Oil-Cakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a cutting-machine which is more especially designed for trimming the edges of oil-cakes. These cakes come from the press in a more or less irregular four-sided form, the marginal portions being saturated with oil, and are required to be trimmed on their four sides, so as to have a uniform size and straight edges, as well as to remove the saturated marginal portions. The machine which is the subject of this application is constructed to trim each cake on two opposite sides. Another similar machine, but in which the cutters may be differently spaced, is used for trimming the cakes on the two other sides.

One object of my invention is to render the cut edges of the cakes loose or open instead of hard or polished.

Another object of my invention is to provide the machine with simple and efficient devices for guiding or controlling the cakes on their way to the cutters and while being cut and for discharging the trimmed cakes from the machine.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cutting-machine provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof. Fig.8 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the machine. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sections in lines 4 at and 5 5, Fig. 3, respectively. Fig. 6 is a detached vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of one of the cutters.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the stationary frame of the machine, provided in its upper portion with a longitudinal bed or table a, which is arranged between the upper side timbers a' and upon which the oilcakes rest in moving through the machine.

13 represents the feed-chain, provided with propellingwings b, by which the oil-cakes are moved over the bed or table. The upper portion of this chain, by which the cakes are propelled, is arranged in a longitudinal slot 1)" of the table. This chain runs around sprocket-wheels C 0, one at the feed end and the other at the delivery end of the machine. The sprocket-wheel C is driven, preferably, by a belt (not shown) running around a pulley C on the shaft of this sprocket-wheel.

'D D represent the cutters, by which the side edges of the oil-cakes are trimmed as the cakes are fed by the chain through the machine between these cutters. Each of these cutters consists of a number of circular saws arranged horizontally or flatwise, one above the other, so as to present the saw-teeth horizontally to the side of the cake operated upon. The saws being arranged horizontally flatwise or in the same plane in which the oil-cakes are arranged and being of the same diameter, the cylindrical surface of each cutter which comes in contact with the side edge of the cake is composed of several superposed circular series of saw-teeth, which present their points to the edge of the cake. The edge of the cake is by these teeth out in such a way that it is loosened or roughened and left open, thus avoiding the objectionable polishing of the edge which. occurs when the oil-cake is cut by a saw or cutter bearing with its fiat side against the edge of the cake, and the material which is cut off is comminuted, so that it is not necessary to regrind this material before mixing it with the unpressed material with which it is mixed in order to'extract the oil contained in the material which has been out off. One of these cutters is arranged on each side of the machine and secured to the upper end of a vertical spindle (1. Each spin dle is journaled at its lower and near its upper ends in laterally-adj ustable bearings d d and is driven by a twisted belt 6, passing around a pulley E on the horizontal drivingshaft 6', arranged at the receiving end of the machine, and around a pulley e on the spindle. This driving-shaft is rotated by a belt (not shown) running around a pulley E, arranged between the-pulleys E.

F F represent two preliminary side guides for centering the cakes before they reach the main guides 11 and the cutters. Each preeral pressure which the spring exerts against the side of the cake are adjusted by acentrally-arrat'tged set-screw g and two tightening-bolts g, one on each side of the set-screw. The main guides H H are arranged between the preliminary guides F and the cutters and consist each .of a rigid bar pivoted at its front end by a vertical hinge h to the inner side of the top timber a of the frame, so that the rear end of the bar can swing inwardly or outwardly. Each guide is pressed inwardly by a spring 2, Fig. 5, which is arranged in a recess in the top timber a of the frame and bears against a pin 7;, which in turn bears against the rear portion of the guide-bar. The spring abuts against a set-screw 2' which works in a threaded opening formed in a metal plate 1 which is secured to the outer side of the ,top timber a, so as to close the outer end of the recess in which the spring and connecting parts are arranged.

J represents the presser, which bears down upon the cake and holds thelatter down upon the table while the cake is operated upon by the cutters. This presser is hung at its front end by a transverse shaft or pivot j, journaled in bearings j on the side timbers a of the frame, and extends from its pivoted front end obliquely rearwardly and downwardly. The rear portion of the presser is bifurcated, so that the space or opening between i-ts two rearwardly-projecting armsj allows the propelling-wings b of the feed-chain to pass. The presser is weighted by weights 7t, which are secured upon transverse crossbars k',applied to the upperside of the presser, preferably at the rear end of the bifurcation and in front of the same. The presser is provided on its under side with curved bearingsprings 7' two such springs being preferably arranged, one behind the other, on each side of the presser. These springs (shown in full lines in Figs. 3 and 5 and in dotted lines in V Fig. 2) form several yielding bearing-points by which the presser can exert pressure upon the cakein front of the rear end of the presser and hold the cakes down flat, which is especiall y desirable when the cakes are somewhat soft and tend to buckle up.

L represents the movable discharge-chute, by which the cakes after they have left the cutters are delivered upon a wheeled truck M or other receiver. The delivery end of this chute is automatically raised to keep pace with the increasing height of the pile on the truck or receiver. For that purpose the upper end of the chute is pivotallyconnected with the frame of the machine and the free end of the chute is supported at a suit-able distance from its pivot-line by a bail N and a hoisting-rope n. The latter runs over guide-pulleys n to a drum 0, which is automatically turned by a ratchet mechanism operated from the presser. The latter drops with its rear end every time a cake has passed beyond the rear'end of the presser and is then raised again by the next cake entering under the presser.

p is an arm which projects-laterally from the presser and is connected by a d ownwardlyextending rod 1) with the pawl-arm q, mounted on the shaft of the drum 0. The pawl q, attached to this arm, engages with a ratchetwheel Q, which is secured to the drum and turns the latter to a certain extent every time the presser drops and is again raised by a cake. The movement produced in the presser by the passage of the cakes is utilized in this manner for raising the chute automatically and causing its delivery end to move upwardly in the same measure as the pile of cakes on the receiver increases in height.

The weight of the chute is preferably counterbalanced by a weight R, which is secured to the descending portion of the rope it, leading to the drum. This relieves the presser from the weight of the chute and enables the presser to actuate the drum more easily.

- I claim as my invention- 1. In a machine for cutting the edges of oilcakes, the combination with the bed ortable, of a rotary cutter composed of several'superposed circular saws of equal diameter, presenting to the edge of the oil-cake a straight I cylindrical cutting-surface composed of several superposed circular series of saw-teeth,

wherebya loose or open cut is produced, sub-. stantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for cutting the edges of oilcakes, the combination with the bed or table and the feed mechanism by which the cakes are moved over the same, of rotary cutters, one arranged on each side of the bed or table and each composed of several superposed circular saws of equal diameter, arranged parallel with the bed of the table, and each presenting a straight cylindrical cutting-surface composed of several superposed circular se- ICO .IIO

ries of saw-teeth, side guides arranged upon the table in front of the cutters, and a presser whereby the cakes are held against the bed or table, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the frame, the bed or table and the cutters, of side guides composed of inwardly-projecting springs, supporting-blocks which are movably arranged in lateral recesses formed in the frame, and adjusting devices connected with said blocks, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the frame, the bed or table and the cutters, of guide-bars pivoted at their front ends to the frame, transverse pins bearing against the rear portions of said bars, springs bearing against said pins and set-screws bearing against said springs, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the frame, the bed or table, the feed mechanism provided with propelling-Wings and the cutters, of a presser pivoted horizontally at its front end and having its rear portion bifurcated to straddle said wings, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the frame, the bed or table and the cutters, of apresser pivoted horizontally at its front end and provided on its under side, in front of its rear end with bearing-springs substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the frame, the bed or table, the feed mechanism, the cutters and the Vertically-movable presser, of a Vertically-movable delivery-chute, and automatic mechanism whereby said chute is gradually ALFRED WV. FRENCH.

Witnesses:

THEO.-L. PoPP, HENRY L. DECK. 

